570 NATIOISTAL OCEAJS'OGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 



Dr. Harold E. Edgerton, professor of electrical measurements in the 

 department of electrical engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Tech- 

 nology and chairman of the board of Edgerton, Germeshausen & Grier, 

 Inc., told the Senate Commerce Committee when he testified on this 

 legislation that : 



A strong national commitment to oceanography would certainly be a step clown 

 the road to effective utilization of all our resources, human and physical. 



Dr. Edgerton pointed out that the present high quality of work 

 being conducted by industry and education alike promises outstand- 

 ing cooperation and imaginative response to the programs proposed in 

 S. 944. There are vast amounts of resources to be fomid in the seas 

 from which great benefits can be derived ; a national commitment to 

 oceanography would lead to effective utilization of all these resources, 

 plus enable us to employ more of our human labor supply. An exten- 

 sive program of research and technology would open up new areas of 

 human endeavor calling for new skills and manpower as yet uncom- 

 mitted. Opportunities would be created for scientists, researchers, 

 technicians, laborers, and clerical people. In the greater Boston area, 

 three major universities are already proceeding with active expansion 

 of facilities to be devoted to the fields of oceanography, in order that 

 they may effectively train their students in this field. 



The abundance of natural resources in the seas is a prime reason for 

 the development of oceanographic programs. These resources come 

 under four major headings : biological, physical, geological, and chem- 

 ical. Biological resources, the marine animal life, are important to 

 man's physical well-being. Fish are an integral part of the American's 

 diet, and a complete understanding of their characteristics and habits 

 would greatly increase the yearly harvest, thus providing more food 

 for more people. 



The physical characteristics of the oceans are of prime concern to 

 people of many fields — fishing companies must learn more about marine 

 currents since these currents directly affect the distribution of fish ; the 

 Navy Department, as well as transport companies, require an under- 

 standing of currents in order to prepare maritime shipping routes; 

 and the weather bureau must be concerned with currents, since they 

 affect the transferral of energy between air and sea, affecting the 

 climates of the seas and continents, and their weather patterns. Even 

 public health agencies are interested in the physical characteristics of 

 the marine environment: they are concerned with the flow of river 

 water into the ocean due to its impact on offshore pollution. Currents 

 and countercurrents are just being discovered, but years of work will 

 be required before we have a reasonably complete understanding of 

 these phenomena. 



Information concerning the geological aspects of the ocean floors is 

 also needed by many concerns. Petroleum and chemical companies 

 must have this information in order to determine where they should 

 begin their search for their resources, and the Navy Department must 

 have a knowledge of the contours of the ocean floors so that they may 

 plan their submarine expeditions. 



The waters and floors of the ocean abound with virtually untouched 

 chemical resources. Industry's need for these elements and minerals 

 is increasing at a fantastic rate, and as a result, the once plentiful sup- 

 ply found in the continents is fast becoming exhausted. Industry will 



